Apple's seemingly abandoned “Magic Charger” appears in new photos - The Verge

Apple’s first-party lineup of MagSafe charging accessories for the iPhone is reasonably limited: you’ve got the modular MagSafe puck, the MagSafe Duo, the underwhelming MagSafe Battery Pack, and well... that’s it. But caller images bespeak that Apple astatine immoderate constituent considered releasing a metallic basal with an integrated MagSafe charger.

The photos and related details were shared by Twitter idiosyncratic @TheBlueMister and subsequently covered by MacRumors. @TheBlueMister is among a hobbyist radical of collectors connected Twitter that stock details astir prototype and prerelease Apple devices and accessories. More than 1 idiosyncratic has gotten ahold of the “Apple Magic Charger” (that’s what it’s identified arsenic erstwhile plugged into a Mac), which helps lend immoderate credence to its authenticity.

The merchandise has a heavy aluminum basal with a circular cutout for the MagSafe puck, which tin either prevarication level oregon beryllium stood vertically, akin to the Apple Watch charger connected the MagSafe Duo.

There’s a rubberized furniture connected the bottommost to forestall the Magic Charger from moving around, and a permanently attached USB-C cablegram is besides visible. The second seems unspeakable for wide durability and traveling with the thing, but I conjecture that’s what the MagSafe Duo is meant for.

A bigger, much evident flaw is that the Magic Charger tin truly lone clasp an iPhone successful scenery orientation; the circular magnetic MagSafe puck is excessively debased to accommodate the vertical position. Nomad makes a metallic MagSafe base that looks rather akin and supports 15-watt charging — but without the lasting orientation.

My conjecture is that Apple realized the Magic Charger’s landscape-only lasting presumption was excessively impractical and inconvenient earlier this accessory came adjacent to being released. I’m funny what, if anything, was “magic” astir its integration with the iPhone; possibly Apple was contemplating unsocial bundle experiences similar those offered by Google’s Pixel Stand. Or possibly it was conscionable a fancy sanction for what apt would’ve been a pricey charger.